THE man who founded the Greek Orthodox Church in Reading 26 years ago has died at the age of 92.

Kosmas Joseph came to England from Cyprus in 1937 in pursuit of the girl he loved. She had been sent to England by her father who did not approve of their friendship.

He followed her and they married and remained together until Helen Joseph died three years ago.

The first meeting of church members was held in the Acropolis restaurant in The Arcade in Reading in 1977.

When it had built up its congregation and it was

established there were enough people to found a church in Reading, Mr Joseph went to see the Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain to discuss founding a Greek Orthodox Church in the town.

The Archbishop gave his blessing to the project and the first Holy Liturgy of St Elias the Prophet was held in St Giles's Church in Church

Street, central Reading, on July 17, 1977.

The church then moved to St Saviour's Church in Coley before finally settling at St Bartholemew's Church, which the congregation shares with the Anglican community.

Mr Joseph, of Florence Avenue in Maidenhead, was an enthusiastic cook and lover of food and opened restaurants in Reading and Maidenhead running the Astoria restaurant in Queen Street, Maidenhead, for more than 20 years.

He also ran the delicatessen next door and cooked meals for prisoners held overnight in Maidenhead police station.

Mr Joseph died on Tuesday, September 23, and his funeral was held at St Elias Church in St Bartholemew's Road, East Reading, on Thursday attended by his family and members of the church in Reading.